Too Hard Read online

  I put the pan in the sink a little too hard and water splashes out onto the floor. “You guys need to get a better sleep schedule.” It’s the only thing I can think of to come back with. I can’t tell them not to play video games or jerk off. I might as well tell them to stop breathing.

  “Dad, I saw your light on when I got up at two. Don’t you think maybe you should listen to your own advice?”

  I grumble something about basketball practice after school and how they need to remember their gym bags. It’s true, I was up late last night as well, but that was because I got a text from Harlow asking to me to come over this morning and I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about being alone with her and what might happen.

  My hand was rough on my cock last night as I stroked it thinking about her and those goddamn shorts. When I came it was so fucking good, but it was immediately followed with guilt. I shouldn’t be having thoughts about someone so young. It’s not right for an old man like me to be thinking about how puffy and soft her pussy is and how sweet it tastes. I got hard all over again and kept rubbing my cock. It had been so long since I’d taken care of myself that I must have been backed up. I came four times last night and still woke up with wood so hard I could’ve used it to build a house.

  “We’ll be late tonight,” Owen says as he puts his dishes away. “Coach is having us scrimmage with South Side at eight.”

  “I should be finished up with work by then,” I say, thinking about how I can move my day around so I can be there.

  “It’s not a big deal if you don’t,” Elijah says, grabbing his bag. “We should be back around ten. We’re going to grab dinner after.”

  “Okay, but I want you both in bed by midnight.” I give them my dad stare that used to scare them, but now they just shake their heads and smile. “Love you boys, be careful.”

  I make them both give me a hug every morning even though they fight it. Every now and then I can wrestle them still long enough to kiss them on the head, but I hear complaints about it the whole time. One day they’ll miss it, and I will too. But I’ve only got them for another three months and then it’s off to college. Thankfully they’ve both been accepted at the same college in-state, so it’s not like I’ll never see them. But it’s been the three of us since they were two and I don’t know that I’m ready for an empty nest.

  As I watch them get into Owen’s car my pocket vibrates. I pull it out to see a text from Harlow.

  Harlow: Stop trying to set me up with your old man friends. There’s only one gray fox I’m after and last night I dreamed he was giving me the dick.

  I stare at my phone in shock and realize she must have meant this for someone else. The boys honk as they pull away and I absentmindedly wave as I go back in the house. Can she be talking about me? I put my hand over the front of my jeans and rub myself. Shit, I can’t know this information. Even if she’s not talking about me she’s talking about wanting to fuck an older man, and that’s enough to make me want to cum on myself. I rush upstairs because I’m supposed to be at her place soon and I can’t walk around like this. I’m not supposed to want this, but she’s put a steak in front of a starving man.

  When I shut the door to my bedroom I push my jeans down and grab the lotion I used last night on the bedside table. I squirt a little into my hand and rub it all over my cock before I start jacking it.

  Me: How big was it?

  Even if she doesn’t respond the image of her taking my dick is enough for me. The fantasy of her begging me to cum inside her so she knows what it feels like.

  I look down at my phone on the bed and see she’s typing. She stops a few times before it starts again. Finally a text comes in and I look down at it smiling.

  Harlow: The number you have reached is no longer in service. Please check the number and try again. If you need help hang up and then dial the operator.

  I text back with my left hand, which is much slower, but I can’t stop jacking off long enough to use my right.

  Me: I’ll see you in twenty minutes.

  There’s another pause and then more typing before she sends another text.

  Harlow: Okay

  I laugh to myself as I rub my cock and think about how embarrassed she probably is right now. In my mind she’s got her face buried in her pillow and I come up behind her and pull her ass in the air as I sink into her. Only one thing is going to make her feel better and that’s my big dick inside her. I bet she thought about it last night. I wonder if she put her fingers in her pussy while she did it. That thought alone has me cupping my hand over the end of my cock to catch my cum.

  “Fuck,” I curse as it pours out of me and into a pool in my palm. I stumble back a little at the force of it and I’m shocked at how powerful and fast that was. I haven’t gotten this hard since I was a teenager.

  After I clean up I fix my clothes and grab my tool belt and load up my truck. I’ve got what I need to fix it and I can’t wait to see her today. There’s a niggle of guilt and doubt in the back of my mind, but it’s overridden by my curiosity to find out what that first text message was about.

  Chapter Five

  Harlow

  I fling open the door before Nellie can bring her hand down to knock. “You’ll never believe what I did!” I yell.

  “Trust me, I’ll believe it.” She walks past me and into my apartment without asking what I did to get myself into a mess.

  “Is that Donut King?” I nod at the bag she’s holding in her perfectly manicured hand as she drops it on the counter. I can’t see her face, which is probably a good thing right now.

  “This is why we can’t have nice things,” she mumbles before turning back around. “Yeah, it’s Donut King. I wasn’t sure which one of us would need them more.” She takes one out before handing me the bag. “Looks like we both do.”

  I pull out a sprinkled one and take an extra-big bite. I really do need this right now.

  “I’m guessing you did something besides this?” She motions towards my kitchen. At least I have something to talk about besides the kitchen. The less focus on that, the better.

  I shove more donut into my mouth as I hand her my phone and show her my mortification. It only takes her a second to read it before she gasps and then bursts into laughter.

  “I was wondering why you didn't text me back.” She’s laughing so hard I watch tears fall down her cheeks. “Maybe dating isn't your thing. The first time you text with a guy and you send this.” She hands me back the phone as she tries to pull herself together. “You didn't tell me you were going to text him.”

  We talked about what it would be like to date an older man off and on in texts last night and this morning. I didn't bring up the fact that I’d broken down and sent him a message saying I wanted him to come over today.

  “I wanted to make sure he would agree to come back.”

  It was either text him and confirm or think about it all night and get no sleep, not that I’d gotten much anyway. His son, or as I learned last night, his nephew, friend requested me on PlayStation, and I ended up playing video games with him all night. We had fun, but I spent most of the time trying to listen in the background for Butch. I got nothing but a kickass kill streak that made Owen tell me I was the coolest chick ever. Then I think he might have tried to ask me out, but I disconnected to be safe. I went completely offline so it looked as though maybe I lost internet. I’m not so sure I should play with him anymore because it’s his dad I’m after. That could get awkward, but I guess I’ve already done that with the text I sent this morning.

  “Oh, I’m sure he’s coming.” She polishes off her donut and goes for another.

  My cousin Nellie and I are close in body type, but she’s got long blonde hair and mine is red. She loves food more than I do, but she’s got toned curves because of all that yoga she does. She invited me one time to go to a class with her, but I complained the whole time that it was boring and she didn’t ask me back. I’m just impressed she can put her legs behind her head. At
the time I didn't understand why someone would need a reason to do that, but now I keep thinking about Butch’s broad size fitting between my thighs. I should have stuck with the yoga.

  “I can’t believe you tried to pretend the number didn't work,” she laughs and I cringe. “I mean, he doesn't know it’s him you were talking about.”

  “I'm not sure if that’s better or worse.” I walk over to the sofa and sit down. I don’t want him thinking I want someone else, because what would be the point in that?

  “Your outfit is cute,” she tells me as she comes to sit down next to me.

  I never pay a ton of attention to what she’s wearing, but today I notice she has on a bodysuit with wedges. Nellie is always in heels and is done up, but suddenly I feel self-conscious. How do I look next to her? Will Butch compare us or maybe even hit on Nellie? Everyone always hits on her, and I wonder if it’s because she’s more talkative than I am. She’s friendly whereas I’m blunt and don’t talk unless I’ve got something to say or someone asks me a direct question.

  I’m wearing a pair of black shorts that have lace at the bottom of them and a black off-the-shoulder shirt that I cut into a crop top. Nellie walked me through how to do it and she told me to go all black because it would make my red hair pop.

  “Well, he’ll be here any minute, so I think he’s into it. I mean, if he wasn't he would’ve canceled.” She shrugs before reaching into her bag, pulling out lip gloss and handing it to me. I take it from her and put it on then hand it back.

  She’s right. If it freaked him out he wouldn't have said he was on his way or even asked how big it was. That could’ve been a joke or a come on. I’m not good at reading people and texting is worse.

  There’s a knock at the door and I pale as my eyes snap to Nellie.

  “Answer the door or I’ll go do it,” she laughs then starts to get up.

  “I got it.” I hop up, wanting to be the first person he sees. I run my fingers through my hair just as another knock sounds.

  Nellie gives me a thumbs up and I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I need to know if he’s into me, so I’m just going to ask and get it out there so I stop driving myself crazy.

  When I open the door my shoulders drop when I see Sean, Nellie’s contractor, standing there. He’s the one who did my kitchen already and is currently working on my office.

  “Oh.” I try to hide my disappointment as I step back and gives me a funny look.

  “Happy to see you, too,” he chuckles as he walks into the apartment.

  Nellie pops up from the chair and does the same thing I did to my hair a second ago and makes sure everything is in place. My eyes dart between them and I wonder if she has a thing for Sean. Now that I look at him, I see he’s probably about Butch’s age and I realize us Harrison girls must enjoy older men. I’m pretty sure I only have a thing for one older man because I hadn't really noticed Sean before now. I guess he’s not bad on the eyes, but he’s no Butch.

  “Holy shit,” Sean mutters when he sees the kitchen. “The paint was barely dry, Harlow.” He shakes his head before running his hand through his hair.

  “It’s fine.” Nellie waves a hand at the mess, pretending what I did to destroy the kitchen isn't a big deal. “She has someone coming over to look at it.” Sean stands up a little straighter at that and I see his brow furrow.

  “You don’t want me to fix it?” He’s not looking at me but at Nellie. She’s been handling all the contractor stuff when in the apartment. I say yes or no to things she shows me and write checks.

  “It’s not that at all.” She drops her voice a little and steps closer to him. “Harlow likes the guy who came in last night and fixed the burst pipe and I want them to go on a date. So he needs to come back so we can make this happen.”

  I narrow my eyes at her for a second because she’s telling people my business. Then I remember I don’t really care what Sean knows about me and it’s all true. I want to get close to Butch and climb all over his body. I want to see if the dream I had of his dick matches it in real life because it was big. In fact, I think it only fit inside of me because it was a dream. Otherwise I’m not so sure it would’ve worked. The thought turns me on and scares me, and my face flushes.

  Sean looks over at me and raises an eyebrow. “You want a date?”

  “I—" I begin to answer, but I’m cut off by a deep voice.

  “Don’t you think you’re a little old for her?”

  I snap around to face the hallway and I realize I’m still at the door and holding it open. Butch is standing there as handsome as I remember, but he looks bigger today. He’s not looking at me as he glares over my shoulder to Sean.

  Chapter Six

  Butch

  I realize that I might have a few years on the guy standing in Harlow’s kitchen, but I don’t care. He’s standing closer to the other young woman in the room, but I don’t feel as protective of her as I do Harlow. For some reason her dark green eyes haunt me and I can’t seem to shake it.

  “I wasn’t asking,” is all he says as he raises his chin to me. “You’re Butch Barton, right?”

  “Yeah.” I grip my tool box tighter and wonder if I know this guy.

  “I’m Sean, with Magnolia Finishings. I’m here helping Nellie.” He leans his head to the side to the girl I don’t know. She smiles and waves her hand a little but doesn’t say anything.

  “Oh yeah.” I realize he looks familiar. “You’re down off seventeen on the west side of town?” I ask and he nods. “You’re a long way from home.”

  “Like I said, I’m doing a favor for Nellie.”

  “Why don’t you come back to the office and we can go over what’s on the list for today,” Nellie says and grabs Sean’s arm. He doesn’t put up a fight and goes along with her easily.

  My hackles begin to relax slightly with him out of the room and I hate that I let that moment get the better of me. I’m normally laid back about everything. I have to be when I’m raising two teenagers. But everything about Harlow is turning me inside out and I can’t get it under control.

  “Hey.” She looks up at me and steps back with her arm held out. “Come on in.”

  I try to keep my distance as I walk by her, but her bare arm brushes against mine and I realize how soft she is. My tool belt is heavy on my shoulder and I focus on that weight as I go into the kitchen and set it down on the counter.

  “I’ve got my materials in the truck, but I’ll need to unhook your water supply and take out the sink. If you don’t mind I’m just going to get started.” I keep my eyes on my belt as I strap it around myself and grab what I need.

  “Sounds good to me.” Her voice is soft, but without realizing it she’s walked up behind me. “If you don’t mind I’m going to watch you work.”

  “I think you might be bored.” When I turn around she’s right in front of me and I stare down at her bare shoulder. I wonder what it would feel like against my lips and then I remember that she’s too damn young for an old man like me. I’ve got jeans with more wear on them than she does and she doesn’t want someone used up like me.

  “Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two.” She shrugs and her shirt slips down further to reveal more of her creamy skin. “You know, in case the sink decides to explode again.”

  “Hey, Harlow,” Nellie calls from the back, and though I hate it when Harlow steps away from me, I need the second to take a breath.

  “Fuck,” I whisper to myself when she walks out of the room. “What the hell am I doing here?”

  “If you don’t know I can probably help you figure it out.” Sean’s voice makes me turn around. He’s walking into the kitchen. “But I’m thinking you were just talking to yourself.”

  I grab my wrench and lean back against the counter as I wait for him to spit out whatever it is he came in here to say.

  “Don’t worry, I’m on your side. You think I show up here every day because I like redecorating this place? I’m just trying to get that blonde to suck my dick, but I�
�m pretty sure she wants a relationship.” He rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. “I’ve put in way too many man hours to have someone else try to step in. This girl has daddy issues written all over her and I’m ready to let her use my cock as therapy if you know what I mean.”

  I clench my hand around the wrench and contemplate smashing him in the face with it or just his balls. Maybe both? But I keep my mouth shut as he keeps digging his grave.

  “I’m just saying, you can have her when I’m done, but I need to get my dick wet first if you know what I mean. I’d steer clear of the redhead, though. Something isn’t right with her. She’s always on her computer and not talking.”

  “You know I heard of you a couple of times before today.” I smile a little as I cock my head to the side. “I have to say I’m not surprised the rumors are true.”

  “What rumors?”

  “The ones that say he’s a complete douchebag?” Nellie says from behind him.

  She and Harlow walked in right when he started talking, but I thought it best for them to hear for themselves what a piece of shit he is.

  “Yeah, that’s pretty much exactly what everyone says,” I confirm, and the two women turn their glares on Sean.

  “You’re fired,” Nellie says, and though Sean looks pissed I know he’s not going to start anything with me in the room. “Get your stuff and get out of my cousin's place. I won’t be needing your services ever again and I’ll mail your final check.”

  “Fine, I’m tired of this bullshit anyway.” He grabs his bag and gives Nellie one last look. “I don’t know why you keep those goddamn legs so tight. You walk around like a cat in heat but don’t let anyone near it.”

  “Watch it.” My voice is low and deadly as I step forward and he holds up a hand.

  “I’m leaving. This was nothing but a waste of my time.” He slams the door on the way out and there’s a brief pause before Nellie bursts into tears.